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  • Campbell expresses gratitude as he bows out of KES hockey

    Campbell expresses gratitude as he bows out of KES hockey

    King Edward VII School 1st team before their game against Durban High School (DHS). Photo: King Edward VII School on Facebook.

    After four remarkable years in the King Edward VII School (KES) first team, during which he earned 107 caps, captain Fynn Campbell‘s school hockey career is over

    “To the boys who are staying,” Campbell told his teammates, “You have an exciting year ahead of you. I’ll be back to watch, and I can’t wait to see you in action. No matter what, keep your heads up and keep playing hard.

    “To the coaching staff, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, and for supporting me throughout my journey at KES. It’s one I will miss forever and never forget.

    “Thank you for always looking after the men in the team, keeping us safe to play the next game, and standing with us during those late-night training sessions. Your sacrifices mean more than you know.”

    Campbell’s final match was away at Durban High School (DHS), where KES recorded one of their best wins of the season, a deserved 4-2 victory.

    “The match against DHS was incredible,” Campbell said. “The tension was high, and the energy was there from both teams. No matter what, neither side was willing to give up. I’m glad I could wrap my season up the way I did, with a win against such a strong opponent. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my parents and family.”

    The goals that day told the story of a team effort. Reece Small poached the first two goals, while Kamo Tsoka stuck away a rebound at a penalty corner to score KES’s third after a variation, and the captain himself scored the last goal, securing victory by converting a penalty stroke.

    While his 1st team career began in grade 9, Campbell said it felt as if it was all over so quickly. “I’ve been in the first team for four years, and the night before my last game, I sat alone thinking about all the memories I’ve shared with my teammates and coaches.

    “After the game, I was emotional but insanely proud of every single one of the boys I got to captain. Seeing in their eyes how much it meant to them made me realise I had done my job. Now, it’s my time to hand over the armband to the next leader.”

    For Campbell, KES hockey has been about more than sport, it’s been about family.

    “Being a KES player is one of the best feelings in the world because we play as a brotherhood. We never leave anyone behind, and we never give up. Being captain was truly special. I couldn’t have asked to lead a better group of men.

    “The journey wasn’t always smooth. We faced our ups and downs, but we went through them together,” he admitted.

    “My favourite highlight has to be beating Jeppe 3–2 last year – an unforgettable match. But, honestly, the best part was seeing the boys come off the field smiling, no matter the score.”

  • SA u17 girls dominate Zimbabwe u18 in 4–0 victory

    SA u17 girls dominate Zimbabwe u18 in 4–0 victory

    The South African u16A and u17A girls' teams both made winning starts against Zimbabwe on the Tuesday, 12 August, the opening day of the Alistair Fredericks Africa Challenge. Photo: TeamPhoto SA.
    The South African u16A and u17A girls’ teams both made winning starts against Zimbabwe on the Tuesday, 12 August, the opening day of the Allistar Fredericks Africa Challenge. Photo: TeamPhoto SA.

    The South African u17A girls’ hockey side delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday, cruising to a 4-0 win over Zimbabwe‘s u18 team on day one of The Allistar Fredericks Africa Challenge.

    The national teams met at St David’s Marist Inanda, in Sandton, in front of a lively crowd.

    From the opening whistle, the game was off to an energetic start, with the defences standing firm while the sides probed for opening.

    For close to one-and-a-half chukkas, the contest was deadlocked. Then, Jemma Ferreira broke the stalemate. Capitalising on a well-worked penalty corner, she struck with precision to put South Africa ahead.

    That goal shifted the momentum firmly in the hosts’ favour, and Ferreira made her presence felt again, doubling the lead before the halftime whistle.

    The hosts’ dominance told, though, and they extended their lead when Jamie Da Silva struck from a penalty corner.

    Her goal brought a strong response from the Zimbabweans, who put together some good attacking moves, and even won a penalty corner, but their industry went unrewarded.

    In the final chukka, coach Omari Pienaar-Geyer‘s team sealed the victory in style when Raffael Abrahams slotted from a short corner to put the result beyond doubt.

    The scoreline reflected South Africa’s edge, particularly from set pieces. Zimbabwe delivered a spirited performance and exhibited some good skills, but it wasn’t enough.

    Speaking after the match, Pienaar-Geyer reflected on the team’s performance: “I believe we have a promising group of players, and while we’re still in the early stages of developing our team dynamics, I’m pleased with our win. It’s a positive start.”

    She acknowledged areas for improvement despite the strong showing. “We recognize that there are fundamental areas we need to improve on, particularly in refining our basic skills and enhancing our tactical connections. These are critical for building a cohesive team.”

    Looking ahead to the remainder of the tournament, the coach remained optimistic:
    “Each match is a chance for learning and improvement, and I’m optimistic about our progress. Our aim is to keep pushing forward, building on our strengths, and working together to become even better in future games.”

    She added with confidence that the Journey is exciting.

    “Overall, it’s an exciting journey for us, and we’re looking forward to the games ahead. Will be better today – promise. Looking forward to the game and excited for the improvements.”

    There was further success for South Africa, with the SAu16 side beating their Zimbabwe counterparts 6-0.

    The Allistar Fredericks Africa Challenge continues with further matches on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

    SA vs ZIM FIXTURES

    Wednesday, 13 August
    18:30 – SA u17 vs Zim u18

    Thursday, 14 August
    17:00 – SA u17 vs Zim u18

    Friday, 15 August
    14:30 – SA u17 vs Zim u18

  • Grey College captures u18 Guschkie Top Schools title

    Grey College captures u18 Guschkie Top Schools title

    The 2025 Guschkie Top Schools champions, Grey College. Photo: Grey College on Facebook.

    The u18 Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament concluded on Saturday with Grey College scoring a hard-fought 2-1 win over Paarl Gimnasium in the final.

    When the teams met earlier in the season, also in Bloemfontein, Gim scored an impressive 4-2 win, but Grey put a stop to the Western Cape side’s flawless run through the competition.

    Paarl Gim had opened their campaign with a resounding 7-1 victory over Hoërskool Menlopark on Thursday, followed by an impressive 8-1 demolition of Somerset College.

    Then, on the second day, they continued their demolition, brushing aside Hoërskool Eldoraigne 4-0 before repeating that same scoreline against Hoërskool Jim Fouché.

    Grey’s journey began smoothly enough, with two wins on the opening day. But they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hoërskool Garsfontein in their third outing. Then, they fell 0-1 behind against St Andrew’s School before clawing their way back to claim a 2-1 victory and a place in the final.

    Garsfontein took on their Pretoria rivals, Die Hoërskool Menlopark for third place and scored a 2-0 win. Hoërskool DF Malan ended fifth after edging out Eldoraigne 2-1 in a tight contest.

    Seventh went to Hoërskool Jim Fouché, of Bloemfontein, who downed Worcester Gimnasium 2-1.

    In another well-matched game, Somerset College held on for a 2-1 win over St Andrew’s School to end ninth.

    RESULTS

    9/10: Somerset College 2-1 St Andrew’s School
    7/8: Jim Fouché 2-1 Worcester Gim
    5/6: DF Malan 2-1 Eldoraigne
    3/4: Garsfontein 2-0 Menlopark
    Final: Grey College 2-1 Paarl Gim

    FINAL STANDINGS

    1. Grey College
    2. Paarl Gimnasium
    3. Hoërskool Garsfontein
    4. Hoërskool Menlopark
    5. DF Malan
    6. Hoërskool Eldoraigne
    7. Hoërskool Jim Fouché
    8. Worcester Gimnasium
    9. Somerset College
    10. St Andrew’s School
  • Monument goes back-to-back as Noordvaal Cup champion

    Monument goes back-to-back as Noordvaal Cup champion

    Hoërskool Monument players celebrate after successful defending the Noordvaal Cup title. Photo: Supplied

    Hoërskool Monument successfully defended their Noordvaal Cup title in emphatic style, defeating Hoërskool Zwartkop 3-0 in the final on Saturday.

    Captain Reece Green opened the scoring late in the first chukka with a well-executed penalty corner. In the third chukka, Jaiden Smith extended the lead with a sharp field goal, before Caleb Aitken sealed the victory with a powerful drag flick into the bottom left corner.

    Coach Divan Geyser was full of praise for his team’s performance and mental strength throughout the tournament.

    “Obviously, we are very happy with the win and going back-to-back. The boys displayed good character throughout the tournament,” Geyser said.

    “On paper, the three coaches – Tiaan Meyer, Jake Franklin, and I – had different roles in preparing and coaching the boys, but we view the win as a collective effort.”

    Geyser said his team’s title success was built on tactical discipline and making the most of their chances.

    “Our strategy was to play to our strengths, maintain possession, and capitalise on scoring opportunities. We worked tirelessly to perfect our teamwork and communication on the field,” he explained.

    Monument enjoyed an outstanding season, playing 53 matches, winning 44 of them, while drawing six and losing only three. Winning the Noordvaal Cup for a second successive season was the cherry on the top after an outstanding campaign.

    Geyser paid tribute to the matric players in the side who signed off with another title: “To the matrics, we are going to miss coaching every one of you,” he said. “You have grown so much as players and as individuals. We are proud of the progress you have made. Lastly, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been part of your hockey journey.

    “To the younger players, we are excited to see you continue growing and developing. Keep working hard, we are looking forward to seeing you build on everything that we have achieved thus far.”

    RESULTS

    1/2: Monument 3-0 Zwartkop
    3/4: Potch Gim 1-3 Pietersburg
    5/6: HTS Witbank (1) 2-2 (3) Nelspruit
    7/8: Helpmekaar 2-1 Rustenburg
    9/10: Waterkloof 3-2 Midstream
    11/12: Sasolburg 6-2 Middelburg

    FINAL STANDINGS

    1. Monument
    2. Zwartkop
    3. Pietersburg
    4. Porch Gim
    5. Nelspruit
    6. HTS Witbank
    7. Helpmekaar
    8. Rustenburg
    9. Waterkloof
    10. Midstream
    11. Sasolburg
    12. Middelburg

  • Paarl Gim maintains perfect record at Guschkie Tournament

    Paarl Gim maintains perfect record at Guschkie Tournament

    St Andrew’s School on the attack against Grey College on the second day of the Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament. Photo: Reflection in Photography

    After two dominating victories on the opening day of the Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament, at Grey College, in Bloemfontein, Paarl Gimnasium showed no signs of slowing down on Friday, and they finished the day having maintained their sparkling, clean record.

    Day one brought Gim 15 goals and two conceded. On day two, they kept two clean sheets while adding another eight goals to their tally.

    In their first outing of the day, they cruised to a 4-0 win over Hoërskool Eldoraigne. Later, they repeated that score in a victory over Hoërskool Jim Fouché (JF), which left them firmly in control of Pool B.

    In Pool A, Hoërskool Garsfontein brought Grey College’s perfect start to a halt, holding them to a 1-1 draw. Then, in a Bloemfontein derby, Grey edged out St Andrew’s School, scoring a tight 2-1 victory.

    The first chukka was goalless, but Saints broke the deadlock in the second from a penalty corner. Grey replied with a well-taken field goal in the third chukka and added another in the fourth to add another win to their record.

    After their draw with Grey, Garsfontein stayed in contention with a 2-0 defeat of Hoërskool DF Malan.

    The day’s action began with Saints and Worcester Gimnasium sharing a goalless draw. The Boland boys had to settle for another draw in their second outing, although this time it ended 2-2 against DF Malan.

    The chasing pack in Pool B endured a day of mixed fortunes. Die Hoërskool Menlopark and JF, who were level in the standings, began with a 1-1 draw, while Eldoraigne bounced back from their morning defeat to Paarl Gim with a 2-0 win over Somerset College.

    Menlopark also beat Somerset College, wrapping up the day with a 2-0 win.

    Day Two Results

    Pool A

    St Andrew’s School 0-0 Worcester Gim
    Grey College 1-1 Garsfontein
    Worcester Gim 2-2 DF Malan
    DF Malan 0-2 Garsfontein
    St Andrew’s School 1-2 Grey College

    Pool B

    Paarl Gim 4-0 Eldoraigne
    Menlopark 1-1 Jim Fouché
    Eldoraigne 2–0 Somerset
    Jim Fouché 0-4 Paarl Gim
    Somerset 0-2 Menlopark

  • Zwartkop to face Monument in Noordvaal Cup Final

    Zwartkop to face Monument in Noordvaal Cup Final

    Hoërskool Zwartkop’s 1st team, winners of the Noordvaal Cup’s B Section in 2024, will contest the A Section final in 2025. Photo: Supplied

    Hoërskool Zwartkop booked their place in the Noordvaal Cup final after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the hosts, Hoërskool Pietersburg, on Friday.

    They’ll face the defending champion, Hoërskool Monument, in the title decider after Monnas cruised to a 6-1 win over Potchefstroom Gimnasium in their semifinal.

    Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

    For Zwartkop, the final represents a significant milestone in an already a memorable week. Their rise is particularly notable given that they won Section B of the tournament last year.

    Diretcor of Hockey, Marthinus Gouws, was full of praise for his side’s resilience.

    “Wow. It is a massive achievement for us,” he said. “We saw ourselves as underdogs this week, and the character the boys showed – especially being 0-2 down in our first game and coming back to win 3-2 [against HTS Witbank] – set us up for a good week of hockey.

    “Finals don’t come around that often, and we are privileged enough to be playing in our second final of the year. Hopefully, the experience of the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament [Shield] final will give the boys some comfort,” Gouws told SuperSport Schools Plus.

    Zwartkop has already faced Monument this season. After sharing a 0-0 draw, they know a tough challenge awaits them.

    “Playing against Monument is always a big game,” Gouws said, “and them being defending champion does give them the slightest of edges. But it’s finals’ hockey. Anything can happen.”

    Gouws added that the final would be about more than silverware. It would also be about honouring his senior players.

    “It is the final game for my matric boys, and they deserve a top-class performance from the team. Go and enjoy today, boys. Remember why we play this game, remember for whom we play,” he said

    After losing out in the semi-finals, Potch Gim and Hoërskool Pietersburg will meet in the bronze medal match.

    The fifth-place playoff features HTS Witbank against Hoërskool Nelspruit. They previously met in the Mpumalanga League final, with HTS Witbank winning after a penalty shootout.

    The Witbank boys scored a 3-1 win over Helpmekaar Kollege on Friday while Nelspruit claimed a tight 1-0 win over Hoërskool Rustenburg. That leaves Helpies to face Rusties for seventh.

    A 3-1 win for Hoërskool Waterkloof over Hoërskool Sasolburg set up Klofies for the ninth-place playoff against Midstream College, who downed Hoërskool Middleburg 2-1.

    That leaves Sasol to take on Middies for 11th place.

    Results

    Playoffs

    Waterkloof 3-1 Sasolburg (9-12)
    Middelburg 1-2 Midstream (9-12)
    HTS Witbank 3-1 Helpmekaar (5-8)
    Nelspruit 1-0 Rustenburg (5-8)
    Monument 6-1 Potch Gim (1-4)
    Pietersburg 1-2 Zwartkop (1-4)

  • Grey, Paarl Gim set the standard at Guschkie Tournament

    Grey, Paarl Gim set the standard at Guschkie Tournament

    Grey College outplayed Hoërskool DF Malan on day one of the Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament in Bloemfontein. Photo: Reflection in Photography.

    The hosts, Grey College, and Paarl Gimnasium grabbed the spotlight on Thursday, the opening day of the Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament, in Bloemfontein, with both teams posting two wins each.

    Grey began the day with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Worcester Gimnasium. Later, the hosts turned on the style, thrashing Hoërskool DF Malan 7-0.

    Grey was quickly on the front foot against DF, earning three penalty corners in quick succession but failing to score.

    After seven minutes, though, they broke through via a well-played field goal. From there, the hosts took complete control, netting four goals in the second chukka to strengthen their lead to 5-0 at the break.

    Paarl Gimnasium produced ruthless finishing in their opener to swamp Hoërskool Menlopark 7-1. They won by an even greater margin in their second outing, brushing aside Somerset College 8-1.

    After their big loss, Menlopark regrouped and picked up a narrow 1-0 win over Hoërskool Eldoraigne. DF Malan also showed off their resilience, edging out St Andrew’s School 3-2.

    Saints also shared a 1-1 draw with Hoërskool Garsfontein, who went on to beat Worcester Gimnasium 5-3 in their next match.

    Garsfontein took the lead towards the end of the first chukka from a penalty corner and picked up two more goals before halftime. Worcester Gim did well to make a game of it after going three goals down, but it proved to be a bridge too far and Garsies took the points.

    Thursday, 7 August, Results

    Pool A

    St Andrew’s School 1–1 Garsfontein
    Worcester Gim 1–2 Grey College
    DF Malan 3–2 St Andrew’s School
    Garsfontein 5–3 Worcester Gim
    Grey College 7–0 DF Malan

    Pool B

    Paarl Gim 7–1 Menlopark
    Eldoraigne 2–1 Jim Fouché
    Somerset College 1–8 Paarl Gim
    Menlopark 1–0 Eldoraigne
    Jim Fouché 2–1 Somerset College

  • Defending champs make strong Noordvaal Cup start

    Defending champs make strong Noordvaal Cup start

    Hoërskool Nelspruit impressed with two convincing wins on the opening day of the Noordvaal Cup. Photo: Hoërskool Nelspruit on Facebook.
    Hoërskool Nelspruit impressed with two convincing wins on the opening day of the Noordvaal Cup. Photo: Hoërskool Nelspruit on Facebook.

    Hoërskool Monument, the defending champions, showed why they remain the team to beat by picking up two wins on Thursday, the opening day of the Noordvaal Cup, at Hoërskool Pietersburg, in Limpopo.

    Helpmekaar Kollege, Hoërskool Nelspruit, and Hoërskool Zwartkop impressed by also going two for two.

    Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools 

    Monnas, under the guidance of coach Divan Geyser, wasted no time in sending out a strong message to their challengers. Facing a tough opener against Hoërskool Waterkloof, they came away from a tightly contested clash with a 1- 0 victory

    In their second outing, Monument scored a more convincing 3-0 win over Hoërskool Rustenburg. From the opening whistle, the Krugersdorp school set the tempo, and they quickly converted a penalty corner to go ahead after only four minutes. Rusties fought hard but were unable to penetrate Monument’s disciplined defence.

    Although Monnas controlled the contest, they were only a goal to the good at halftime. They doubled their advantage in the third chukka, however, and ensured they would win with a third goal in the final chukka, which took the match beyond Rustenburg’s reach.

    Rustenburg, after their loss to Monument, bounced back with a 1-0 victory over Waterkloof.

    In Pool B, Helpmekaar Kollege emerged as one of the standout teams of the opening day, scoring two sound victories. Their first match, against Hoërskool Middelburg, was hard fought, but Helpies edged it 1-0.

    In their second match, Helpmekaar dominated the hosts, Hoërskool Pietersburg, posting a commanding 4-1 win, which established them as potential title contenders. The hosts, meanwhile, stayed in the running with a 2-1 win over Middies.

    Pool C delivered some interesting moments, especially from Hoërskool Nelspruit, who scored two comfortable victories.

    First up, they defeated Potchefstroom Gimnasium 3-0, dominating from the start and building up a 2-0 lead by halftime. Then, against Midstream College, they again won 3-0. Midstream also fell 0-3 to Potch Gim.

    In Pool D, the opening match was a real thriller, with Hoërskool Zwartkop holding off HTS Witbank to claim a 3-2 win. The game was fast-paced and produced good goal scoring chances, but it was Zwartkop who made the most of them.

    Stung by that defeat, HTS Witbank came back with a bang, hanging a 5-1 loss on Hoërskool Sasolburg,

    Zwarries, then, bagged maximum points for the day by beating Sasolburg 4-2.

    Results

    Pool A

    Monument 1-0 Waterkloof
    Monument 3-0 Rustenburg
    Waterkloof 1-0 Rustenburg

    Pool B

    Helpmekaar Kollege 1-0 Middelburg
    Helpmekaar Kollege 4-1 Pietersburg
    Pietersburg 2-1 Middelburg

    Pool C

    Nelspruit 3-0 Potch Gim
    Nelspruit 3-0 Midstream
    Potch Gim 3-0 Midstream

    Pool D

    Zwartkop 3-2 HTS Witbank
    HTS Witbank 5-1 Sasolburg
    Zwartkop 4-2 Sasolburg

  • Guschkie Top Schools kicks off on Thursday

    Guschkie Top Schools kicks off on Thursday

    Guschkie Top Schools Tournament logo. Photo: Grey College

    The Guschkie Top Schools hockey tournament gets underway on Thursday, at Grey College, in Bloemfontein.

    Northwood, who went back-to-back as champions in 2023 and 2024, will not be defending their title. They’ll be down in the Western Cape, facing Paul Roos Gimnasium and SACS.

    Grey College, the runner-up to the Knights in the past two years, will be focused on taking full advantage of their home turf.

    They’re in Pool A where they’ll face their local rivals, St Andrew’s School (Saints), Hoërskool Garsfontein, Hoërskool Montana, Worcester Gimnasium, and Hoërskool DF Malan.

    Greys campaign starts against Worcester Gim at 10:00 on Thursday morning. Then, they’ll face DF Malan at 16:00. With successive victories, the Bloemfontein boys could place themselves in a strong position to challenge for the title.

    Saints, meanwhile, will open the tournament bright and early at 08:00 with a very interesting match-up against Hoërskool Garsfontein. The Pretoria side has enjoyed a solid season, which included a fourth-place finish at the Hibbert Shield. They’ll bear watching.

    St Andrew’s, meanwhile, will be back out on the turf against DF Malan at noon. Worcester Gim and Garsfontein meet at 14:00.

    Victories on the opening day will be crucial for teams’ prospects of challenging for the title.

    Pool B features Paarl Gimnasium, Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Hoërskool Eldoraigne, Hoërskool Jim Fouché (JF), and Somerset College.

    Paarl Gim appears to be the team to beat. Earlier in the season, they made it through to the final of the Hibbert Shield, the toughest tournament in the country, and later held SACS, to their only draw of the season thus far. Gim also beat Grey College 4-2 in Bloemfontein in April. That makes them serious title contenders.

    Gimmies open their campaign against Menlopark before facing a familiar foe in Somerset College. Menlo will return to the pitch at 15:00 for a showdown with Eldoraigne, another Pretoria side whose national profile is growing.

    Bloemfontein’s Jim Fouché, another school whose hockey programme has made big strides in recent years, tackles Somerset College at 17:00.

    The action concludes with the playoffs on Saturday, starting at 09:00 with the ninth-place playoff. The other placement games will follow until the final, at 13:00, after which a new champion will be crowned.

    FIXTURES

    Thursday, 7 August

    Pool A

    08:00- Saints v Garsfontein
    10:00- Worcester v Grey
    12:00 – DF v Saints
    14:00 – Garsfontein v Worcester
    16:00 – Grey v DF

    Pool B

    09:00 – Paarl Gim v Menlo
    11:00 – Eldo v JF
    13:00 – Somerset v Paarl Gim
    15:00 – Menlo v Eldo
    17:00 – JF v Somerset

    Friday, 8 August

    Pool A

    08:00 – Saints v Worcester
    10:00 – Garsfontein v Grey
    12:00 – Worcester v DF
    14:00 – Saints v Grey
    16:00 – DF v Garsfontein

    Pool B

    09:00 – Paarl Gim v Eldo
    11:00 – Menlo v JF
    13:00 – Eldo v Somerset
    15:00 – JF v Paarl Gim
    17:00 – Somerset v Menlo

    Saturday 9, August

    9:00 – Play off (9/10)
    10:00 – Play off (7/8)
    11:00 – Play off (5/6)
    12:00 – Play off (3/4)
    13:00 – Final

  • Monument eyes back-to-back Noordvaal Cup titles

    Monument eyes back-to-back Noordvaal Cup titles

    The defending champions, Hoërskool Monument. Photo: Supplied.

    The Noordvaal Hockey Cup is set to light up Polokwane from 7-9 August, with top hockey teams from across the region converging at Hoërskool Pietersburg.

    Hoërskool Monument will be in the spotlight as the defending champion and clear favourite in Pool A, where they’ll be challenged by Hoërskool Waterkloof and Hoërskool Rustenburg.

    Monument coach Divan Geyser is confident that his squad has the means to defend their title, but he remains mindful that tournament hockey can be unpredictable.

    “The preparations have been good,” he said. “It is always a challenge getting back after the long school holidays, but we were fortunate enough to have a couple of players involved in the provincial set-up, so a lot of our boys stayed sharp during the break.”

    After lifting the trophy in 2024, Monument will be out to make a big statement, but this time they will be carrying a target on their backs.

    “There are more teams performing really well this year,” Geyser said. “We feel confident that we have the team to go back-to-back, but anything can happen in tournament hockey. As this will be our last outing of the season, we want to send our matric players off in style.”

    Their opening clash, at 08:00 on Thursday, will be a stiff challenge against Waterkloof, which could set the tone for the rest of the tournament. Geyser believes his side is ready to rise to the occasion.

    “The boys are definitely up for the challenge,” he reckoned. “We’ve had good warm-up games, and we’re still undefeated against the teams in our pool this season, so we’re feeling positive. But, on the day, anyone can win it.”

    Meanwhile, Hoërskool Zwartkop, who will face Hoërskool Sasolburg and HTC Witbank, are also eager to test themselves. Their Head of Hockey Marthinus Gouws said the winter break has challenged Zwarries‘ match readiness.

    “It was a tough one to play our first game after the break, especially with limited preparation,” he said. “Even though we beat Potch Gim, both teams were rusty in the first half. We’ll need to step it up a lot if we want to be competitive at Noordvaal.”

    The tournament features a round-robin group phase on the first day, with knockouts and placement games taking place on Friday. The final day, 9 August, will determine the overall rankings, with the title game scheduled for 15:55.

    POOLS

    Pool A: Hoërskool Monument, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Hoërskool Rustenburg
    Pool B: Helpmekaar Kollege, Hoërskool Middleburg, Hoërskool Pietersburg
    Pool C: Hoërskool Nelspruit, Paarl Gimnasium, Midstream College
    Pool D: HTC Witbank, Hoërskool Zwartkop, Hoërskool Sasolburg

    FIXTURES

    Thursday, 7 August

    08:00 – Monument vs Waterkloof (Game 1)
    09:05 – Helpmekaar vs Middelburg (Game 2)
    10:10 – TBC v Potch Gim (Game 3)
    11:15 – TBC vs Zwartkop (Game 4)

    WATERBREAK
    12:30 – Monument vs Rustenburg (Game 5)
    13:35 – Helpmekaar vs Pietersburg (Game 6)
    14:40 – TBC vs Midstream (Game 7)
    15:45 – TBC vs Sasolburg (Game 8)

    WATERBREAK

    17:00 – Waterkloof vs Rustenburg (Game 9)
    18:05 – Middelburg vs Pietersburg (Game 10)
    19:10 – Potch Gim vs Midstream (Game 11)
    20:15 –  Zwartkop vs Sasolburg (Game 12)

    Friday, 8 August

    08:00 – 1st Group A vs 2nd Group D (Game 13, 1-8)
    09:15 – 1st Group B vs 2nd Group C (Game 14, 1-8)
    10:30 – 1st Group C vs 2nd Group B (Game 15, 1-8)
    11:45 – 1st Group D vs 2nd Group A (Game 16, 1-8)

    WATERBREAK

    13:00 – 3rd Group A vs 2nd Group D (Game 17, 9-12)
    14:15 – 3rd Group B vs 2nd Group C (Game 18, 9-12)
    15:30 – Loser 13 vs Loser 14 (Game 19, 5-8)
    16:45 – Loser 15 vs Loser 16 (Game 20, 5-8)

    WATERBREAK

    18:00 – Winner 13 vs Winner 14 (Game 21, 1-4)
    19:15 – Winner 15 vs Winner 16 (Game 22, 1-4)

    Saturday, 9 August

    08:00 – Loser 17 vs Loser 1 (Game 23, 11-12)
    09:35 – Winner 17 vs Winner 18 (Game 24, 9-10)
    11:10 – Loser 19 vs Loser 20 (Game 25, 7-8)

    WATERBREAK

    12:45 – Winner 19 vs Winner 20 (Game 26, 5-6)
    14:20 – Loser 21 vs Loser 22 (Game 27, 3-4)
    15:55 – Winner 21 vs Winner 22 (Game 28, 1-2)